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Park officials seeking hunters for animal control help

CORTLAND — Four local hunters chosen by a raffle conducted by Mosquito Lake State Park officials earlier this month is just one example of how residents are being recruited to help control the animal population.

Park officials said overpopulation of some animals, such as squirrels and raccoons, have disrupted the environment, killed trees and caused complaints by park visitors.

“The dense squirrel population has caused nuts and bark to be stripped from maple trees,” park manager Josie McKenna said.

The lost bark kills the saplings that would have grown into full trees, she said.

Officials fear the overpopulation will create an imbalance that will affect both the safety and experience of park guests, the manager said. Animals that are usually contained within a certain area of the park are being lured from their natural home into other areas of the park by visitors.

The raccoon problem for park visitors is partly caused by humans, McKenna said. Feeding the raccoons has brought them closer to campsites, where visitors have reported vandalized coolers, overturned garbage and missing items, the park manager said.

“Wildlife is supposed to be wild, so please don’t feed the raccoons,”  McKenna said.

Although populations of small animals varies in regions, there is some evidence that the squirrel and raccoon problem might be greater this year.

“We had a very mild winter that allowed for more successful population growth,” Laurie Graber, Wildlife Research Technician said. In areas where animals are protected, such as parks, there may be a higher number of young animals, she said.

Squirrels can bore holes into the trees for nests, tearing bark and weakening the tree in the process, Graber said.

Raccoons are also a problem, according to the expert.

“Raccoons prey on wild turkey and bird eggs, which slows the production of full grown turkeys,” Graber said.

She said she was concerned people might not be aware of the diseases that can be spread by the animals if humans are not aware of the need to keep nature in check. The park, she said, works to find the proper balance between control and human intervention.

Raccoons and squirrels represent one problem for the park, but other species also can cause problems if their populations are not controlled.

Although the park is not a public hunting ground, goose and duck hunts are pre-arranged throughout the late autumn months through the Army Corp of Engineers and Ohio wildlife organizations, McKenna said. The park is also working to avoid overpopulation of geese and ducks, which, like the squirrels and raccoons, have caused high e. coli content in the lake, forcing the posting of “beach closed” signage as recently as last summer.

McKenna said community hunters and those interested in pre-arranged hunts or other park offerings must sign up on a first-come basis. Interested parties may contact the Mosquito Lake State Park office at 330-637-2856.

eearnhart@tribtoday.com

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